Vibrating propeller



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. M. FREEMAN.

v VIBRATING PROPELLER.

No. 272,949. Patented Feb .Z7, 1883.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. M. FREEMAN.

VIBRATING PROPBLLER.

No. 272,949. V Patented Feb.27, 1883.

WM iw y N. PETERS. PholoLithographer. Wnmlngion. n. c.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VIBRATING PROPELLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 272,949, dated February 2'7, 1883.

Application filed October 20, 18853. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUeUsTUs M. FREE- MAN, of Ocean Groove, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Propellers, of which the following is a specification.

This propeller is especially adapted to small boats propelled by hand. It is located at the stern of the boat, and also takes the place of a rudder, and is available in steering as well as in propelling. I do not, however, limit my invention to any particular size of propeller or boat, but intend to use the same wherever available.

Before my invention hinged buckets had been employed in a frame and operated by hand, and a hand-propeller with blades had been placed in the stern of the boat. I make use of a frame pivoted at the apex to the stern-post, and containing buckets that are hinged near the top and bottom inner corners, and close and open as the frame is oscillated, and by closing as the frame is swung back the boat is moved forward, and the part of the frame that is swung forward is inoperative, because the buckets open and move edgewise through the water. When the frame is oscillated uniformly at each side of the axial line of the vessel, the boat will be propelled straight forward; but when the frame is turned to one side or the other the pressure of the closed buckets is partially diagonal, and tends to swing the stern around and steer the vessel, thereby dispensing with the rudder. The propeller is actuated by suitable means, such as a lever acting upon the frame, or else cords, ropes, or chains are passed to the forward part of the vessel and attached to a lever orh and-wheel, so that the attendant can look ahead, propel the boat, and steer the same, thus avoiding the difficulties experienced in ordinary rowing of having to look around over the shoulder.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of-a boat with this propeller. Fig.2 is a plan, in larger size and partially in section, of the propeller. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the propeller. Fig. 4. is a plan, partially in section, of the propeller with the frame modified in shape; and Fig. 5 is a side view of the propeller shown in Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a plan of the hand-lever and upper part of the apex-bar.

The boat or vessel Ais of any usual character. At the stern b the propeller is placed. The V-shaped frame is composed of top bars, 0, bottom bars, d,'end bars, f, and a vertical center or apex bar, 0, that unites the top and bottom bars, 0 d, and is also provided with pintles or pivots t, that pass into eyes on sternpost I), so that the frame can be swung on such pintles i. The buckets h k are pivoted in the frame at the top and bottom inner corners, and they close against each other and open out to pass edgewise through the water. The buckets h are shown as closed and as being swung backwardly to propel the boat forward, and the buckets it are shown as open, as when that side of the frame is being moved forwardly.

In order to swing the propeller-frame upon its pivots, any suitable means may be used, such as a hand-lever, 1, extending forward from the top of the apex-bar e, or else wire ropes or chains may be led forwardly at the sides of the boat, as at n n, the back ends being fastened on eyes upon the propeller-frame or else to a cross-head to the apex-bar e, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. At the front end these ropes or chains may pass through pulleys o and be fastened to a lever, 79, that is pivoted at the bows; or a wheel with handles may be employed, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, said wheel or lever serving to draw upon the propeller-frame, first at one side and then the other, and swing the same in propelling the boat, aS afOresaid. 1f the lever is moved from the center toward one side only, the propeller will act to swing the boat around, as well as to propel the same. If the wheel is moved so as to swing the propeller more upon one side of the center line of the boat than on the other, the boat will be swung around or steered in either direction, as desired by the party propelling the boat.

The propeller, when made in the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5, operates the same as before described. The frame, however, is narrower and extended more to the rear, and there are central buckets, it, upon the central arms, 0, that extend out to the rear from the bar eand unite the three ranges of frames 0 d. These frames 0 cl are provided with pairs of blades with stoprodsf, and by reference to Fig. 4 it will be seen that the blades or buckets h, h, and 7t all stand nearly in line with each other when ICC in action, and when the direction ofmotion ofthe frame is reversed all the buckets swing to their respective stops and all act in aid of the propulthe buckets will assume the position indicated by dotted lines.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with the swinging propeller-buckets, of a vertical frame in which the propeller-buckets are hinged, an apex-bar, e, pivots i, extending out from the bar 6, eyes upon the boat for receiving the pivots, stops within the frame for limiting the movement of the buckets, and mechanism, substantially as set forth, for swinging the frame upon its pivots, as specified.

2. The combination, with the frame and hinged propeller-buckets, of the bar e, pivoted at the stern of the boat, the ropes or chains passing toward. the front of the boat, and the lever or wheel to which such chains or ropes are fastened, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 17th day of October, A. D. 1882.

AUGUSTUS M. FREEMAN.

Witnesses r GEO. '1. PINCKNEY, GHAsH. SMITH. 

